Curricula Editor and Writer

The National Council seeks a skilled and seasoned curricula editor and writer who will work on the Mental Health First Aid Curricula Development and Evaluation team to ensure Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curricula maintains fidelity to the National Council brand, mission and style; accuracy; precision in language; and consistency. We seek a person who understands that editing and writing are part of the instructional design and creative process and who will work with others on the team to create materials that are not only correct but exceed expectations. They will work on our core training, including Adult MHFA, Youth MHFA and teen MHFA. Additionally, we have a robust offering of courses for the workplace, language translations of the core curricula, and community-specific versions that address high-need populations.

The successful applicant will be a strong editor and writer whose proven experience spans simple copyediting, proofreading and substantive editing, and who demonstrates flexibility and decision-making skills to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. They will be able to take complex information and write or edit in plain language to reach a variety of audiences. This person must be comfortable editing curricula and evaluation materials of varying length, type and modality. Experience with editing PowerPoint slides, manuals, teaching notes, workbooks, research reports and various types of eLearning is desired.

The ideal candidate will be positive, self-motivated, detail-oriented and possess a passion for mental wellbeing and ensuring that high-quality care for mental health and substance use challenges is available to all those in need. Must be comfortable working in a highly collaborative and proactive environment. This position requires collaboration with their counterparts on the Marketing, Communications and Events Department’s Editorial Team, who are responsible for establishing and maintaining National Council style.

While this position can be done remotely from anywhere in the US, you must accommodate our Washington, DC business hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM ET.

Qualified candidates will be required to include a work sample in their application to allow us a more comprehensive assessment of their qualifications for this role.

Key Responsibilities

Copyedit, proofread and provide substantive editing for print and online curricula and evaluation materials in adherence with National Council, Mental Health First Aid and AP Style guidelines. This includes reviewing one-pagers, research and evaluation reports, manuals, teaching notes, workbooks, presentation materials and eLearning modules
Write complex or technical information using plain language to reach a wide range of learners
Evaluate curricula for reading level and adjust as appropriate for the audience
Effectively communicate with and educate team members on writing and editing choices
Work independently and as part of a team, managing multiple projects, communicating expectations and meeting rigorous deadlines
Adapt to quickly changing workflows while managing many projects and deadlines simultaneously

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree
5+ years of professional editing experience
Organized, focused and detail- and deadline-oriented
Experience in writing/editing printed and digital curricula
Experience with editing/writing in a variety of tools, such as Word, PowerPoint, Adobe PDF, Adobe InDesign, Articulate Storyline and Rise
Proven ability to write and edit using principles of plain language
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Familiarity with AP Style
Familiarity with APA Style for citations
Collaborative/teamwork attitude and skills a must
Familiarity with project management tools, such as Asana

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of instructional design, pedagogical/andragogical principles and learning theories to create engaging content
Familiarity with the mental health and substance use field